Guide for two-piece platfrom wrapper strips



g- 1953 R. E. PEARSALL 2,643,302

GUIDE FOR TWO-PIECE PLATFORM WRAPPER STRIPS Filed Jan. 11, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Edi oh E]%arsa/Z By his A H269 Aug. 11, 1953 R PEARSALL 2,648,302

' GUIDE FOR TWO-PIECE PLATFORM WRAPPER STRIPS Filed Jan. 11, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Ralph E. Pearsa ZZ Patented Aug. 11, 1953 GUIDE FOR' TWO -PIECE PLATFORM WRAPPER STRIPS,

Ralph E. Pearsall, Gloucester, Mass., assignor to United' Shoe Machinery Corporation; Fleming ton; N. .L, a corporation of New Jersey Application January 11, 1952, Serial No.v 266,011

Claims; 1

The present invention relates to improvements in platform wrapper guides for directing a wrapper strip formed from two separate serially arranged flat pieces of difierent width with overlapping ends fastened together, one side edgeof each piece being brought into alinementwith a side edge of the other; More particularly the improved guide is intended for operation upon a two-piece double width wrapper strip for directing the strip into a machine arranged to perform a shoemaking operation. In the shoemaking operation the alined side edges of the strip pieces are secured to' a shoeandthe re* maining overlapping end-areas of thestrips are left free to flex toward and from each other.

In directing a two-piece platform wrapper strip'into a machine for performing a shoe-making operation, such for instance as that performed by a machine of the type disclosed in an application for United States Letters Patent Serial No. 265,660, filed January 9, 1952, in the name of Alfred S; Clark, a difficulty is-encountered, the pieces composing the strip being free to flex angularly toward and from overlapping end relationship with each other in a manner similar tothe action of'a hinge. If the strip pieces are of a different width andare fastened only along overlapping alined edges, it has been extremely troublesome to lead the strip through a convention-al guide acting to confine both edges-of the strip. Such guide, if of proper width toconfine the narrower strip piece is of insuflicient width topass thewider strip and if of sufficient Width to pass the wider piece the guide is too wide for the narrower piece. Furthermore, in many guides of prior construction, difiiculty is: encountered in: guiding a strip of the type referred to, the leading end of the second piece as it enters the guide A becoming deflectedfrom proper relationship to the confining surfaces of the guide as the transition istaking place from onestrip piece to the other.

The primary purpose of the present invention "is to overcome the difficulties encountered, particularly in directing a platform wrapper strip formed fromtwo, separate piecesof difierent widths fastenedtogetheriin. overlapping relationship, when the fastening between, the ends consists. of a temporary shortseam running, along alinededges-of therespective-pieces at their ovenlapping ends. A further purpose. of the invention is to simplif and improve generallythe construction. of wrapper strip guides in'a; manner to insure reliable direction-70f atwo-piece double widths-trip of the-type referred: to;

In'accordancewith'the present invention, freedomfor angular flexure between the pieces of a two-piecewrapper strip is utilized to insure that the pieces comprising the strip will be directed through different sections of a double width guide, which sections are particularly formed-to confine the respective pieces of the strip. In this waygreater guiding accuracy and a more'ef fectivc machine operation are'obtained' with a relatively simple guide construction;

In-its broader aspects the invention provides a platform wrapper strip guide having narrow andwider, angularly disposed sections, in which corresponding pieces of a wrapper'strip are di rected by the use of common meansincluding, preferably an edge confining groove'and aswitch finger runningbetween the sections and acting toseparate overlapping areas-oithe, strip pieces for movement into their respective guidesections. The respective sections of the guide may, therefore; beconstructed in a form which is most-efl'ective'for directing-each strip piece, the separation ofIt-he pieces being accomplished automatically whenever the double thickness of an overlapping area portion: of the stripreaches the switch finger. For directing-the respective strip pieces means are provided'for retaining the alined edgesof' the pieces in uniform engagement with the-edge-confining groove which is commonto both sections of the guide. As illustrated, the means for retaining the alinedstrip edges in the groove'consist of an edge engaging flange on theguide for: the narrow strip and a yieldin memberwithin the edge confining. groove, of the guide frictionally engaging the wider strip, piece.

'lf heseand other features of theinvention as hereinafter described and claimed will be apparent from the following detail" specification taken-in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a shoe sewing machine equipped with a wrapper strip guide embodying the-features ofthe presentinvention and showing the action of the'guide when atwo-piece strip. is introduced with the narrow pieceinsert'ed first;

Fig.2 isa fragmentary detail'view of, the guide as. illustrated, in the machine of. Fig, 1 looking from. the right. side of the uide;

Fig. 3 is a sectional. view of the guide, taken along the line I]I-III of Fig. 1

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the guide in right-side elevation, illustrating its manner of operation when: a: two-piece strip is introduced with the wider piece of the stripfirst inserted-in. the-guide,

that is, in reverse relation to the strip illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail view in front elevation of the guide as illustrated in Fig. 1 with the wrapper strip introduced within the guide in the same manner as in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a two-piece double width wrapper strip, the pieces of which are fastened together in a manner for entry into the guide in the relationship illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. '7 is a similar strip with its ends fastened together in a manner intended for entry into the guide in the relationship illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

The illustrated machine is a lockstitch shoe sewing machine of the type disclosed in the Clark application, above referred to, and is arranged to fasten a platform sole, an upper and a platform wrapper strip together with a lockstitch scam in a single sewing operation, the seam extending entirely around the shoe and being brought into overlapping relationship with itself at the end of the seam. As more fully brought out in the Clark application the problem of guiding the strip parts to the machine presents numerous difficulties in handling them, since the edges of the parts operated upon have different variable curvatures and must be continuously repositioned with relation to each other for smooth configuration in the outlines of a finished shoe. The fastening operation can be accomplished on a commercial basis only with the help of a wrapper strip guide which acts more or less automatically and with a minimum of operator attention during sewing.

The wrapper strip guide of the Clark machine is open along one edge to receive the strip and is formed along its other edge with an edge confining groove into which the wrapper strip is continuously urged by the rotation of a feed wheel engaging the strip and having its axis disposed at such angle to direction of movement of the strip through the guide that the strip is held positively in engagement with the edge confining groove at all times. The strip guide of the present invention does not require a positively driven feed wheel and is arranged to provide an effective guidin action for a two-piece wrapper strip without the use of any power driven devices.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the machine to which the illustrated guide is applied has a work support l8, a fixed rabbet gage I2, a work feeding rabbet gage M, a work feeding presser foot I6 cooperating with the feeding rabbet gage M, a non-feeding presser foot I8 cooperating with the fixed gage I2, a needle 20, and other stitch forming and work engaging devices more fully disclosed in the Clark application. The machine is intended for operation on a platform shoe, the platform of which, indicated at 22, is rabbeted along its edge and has attached to its inner surface a sock lining 24. The upper, indicated at 26, is applied to the platform in a manner which brings its edges into register with the edge of the sock lining, and a wrapper strip is led into the sewing point of the machine onto the outer surface of the upper, all the parts, except the platform, being penetrated by the needle during the sewing operations.

The wrapper strip is formed from two separate pieces 28 and 30 of different width sheet material temporarily fastened together in overlapping relationship at two adjacent ends, best shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The piece 28 is intended is intended to operate.

for the heel of a shoe and the piece 30 for the forepart. To enable the sewing operation to be started on a shoe beginning selectively about the heel or toe portions the pieces of the strip in Fig. 6 are of the same shape as those in Fig. 7 except that they are temporarily fastened together in opposite relationship, the pieces in both figures being illustrated grain side up. The strip of Fig. 6 is intended for use in sewing the forepart of a shoe before the heel end is sewn and the strip of Fig. 7 is intended for sewing the heel end of a shoe before the forepart is sewn while employing the guide of the present invention.

Of the two wrapper strip pieces 28 and 30 the piece 28 is much wider than the piece 30 and is cut with a substantial curvature to conform with the shape of a high wood heel later to be applied to the shoe. The piece 30 is relatively narrow and straight. Both strips have their respective pieces fastened together with the curvature along the outer convex lateral edge of the curved heel piece 28 alined with a straight lateral edge of the forepart piece, the temporary fastening comprisinga short seam 32 running along the alined edges of the overlapping piece areas. Thus, the major portion of the overlapping end areas remaining unfastened are free for fiexure toward and from each other about the line of the seam 32 in a manner similar to the sides of a hinge. The strip of Fig. 6 has its straight forepart piece 30 laid over the heel piece 28 at one end of the heel piece whereas the strip of Fig. 7 has its forepart piece laid over the heel piece at the other end thereof, the pieces being shown with their grain or finish surfaces uppermost. Fastening the pieces of a two-part wrapper strip in this way has many advantages both in adaptability for various sizes and styles of shoes and in economy in usage or" materials, since the length of a onepiece strip would require a much greater area of material than that required for the pieces of a two-piece strip. The only disadvantages in the use of a two-piece strip results from the tendencies of the overlapping areas along their temporarily fastened ends to flex angularly away from each other while being presented to a sewin machine or one of their end edges to become diverted or distorted along an abrupt surface of the guide for the strip.

To enable a two piece composite platform wrapper strip of the type referred to, to be directed accurately with overlapping alined edges led uniformly into the sewing point of the illustrated machine, there is mounted upon it a steel metal guide having individual and common guiding means acting along the edges of the different strip pieces.

The individual guiding means include a wide section 34 and a principal narrow straight section 36 disposed at an angle to the wide section, through which sections the strip pieces are caused to pass selectively. The wide section 34 has a supporting surface of sufficient extent to underlie the widest strip piece 28 on which the machine The narrow section 36 forms a main supporting surface for the narrow strip piece 30 and is of sufiicient width only to accommodate the straight narrow strip piece, the narrow section 36 being defined by a straight edge confining groove 38 and a bent-over edge confining flange 40.

The common strip directing means comprises the groove 38 formed along one edge of both the wide and narrow guide sections so that it alone serves as a gage to direct the strip edgewise in predeterminedtalinement withthe guideiintofithe machine: regardless oi' -which piece is passing through the guide;

120 -separaterthe'ouerlappingzareas of-thewrapper-strip 28,135whileapassingrthrough*theguide:so that the narmiw tpieceiafl .will be -di-rectedWith eertainty'throngh the narrowcsection'd Mandnthe wider piece fliiwill' be directed'ithroughthei wide section :34, in onetorm'of theiiimzention; means is provided for deflecting onepieceiof thestrip the *other piece: comprising; .a continuation .oi the edge engaging; :flange- 41lwhichextends sbe'tween'the narrow andzwidetsections of :thegnide toatarm" a commonyst'rip deflecting-switch -1inger G2 with a: tip 44 at extremity-enteringclosely within-the edge confininggroiove '38. The switch fingeris-locatedacloser to the-supporting surface 0! the wide section 34 than the double thickness overlapping areas of the strip" -pieces.-= The sections and:;36 -.of- 'theguide-are disposed at angle to each other with the-icommonnedgeacon fining-groove V38at-the apex: Theralined temporarily" fastened edges of the: wrapper strip running-along the groove 38 areEthereby-directed-acr icuratelytoward the sewing point of the machine regardless of which strip piece isbeingi operated :u-pon, the groove 38- being located in alinement with the point of operation of the needle 2.0

To support the guide in theproper relationship to thesewing point the, machine frame .has sprojectingiupwardly from it a bracket 46- provided attits ripperendiwith aslotted enlargementengaging the rib of a block 48, formed integrally with: the-guide, the guide-being: secured; to the bracketby a screw 50"passing. throughthetenilargement into threaded engagement with the block. Loosening or removalof the-screw 50 en'- ables the guide tobeadjustedvertically-or conveniently detached.

The operation 1 of. the switch finger a 42" will ibest be understood in eonnection with Fig; 3. whichillustrates: the manner of separation ofthe two strip pieces 2;8-and 30-as they pass through the guide. Assumingthat the-operationof the ma chine is such that the narrow forepart strip piece- 30' is first led into the guide andis directed manually into the sewing pointofthe, machine, as the operation proceeds "the-trailing: end-0t the narrow strip. piece 30 approaches/the switch finger 42- and the advancing end of the wide piece 2.8 passes at the opposite side of the switch finger from the narrow-;piece-30.- 'Ithe switch finger is spaced from the groove-,38--a distance greater than the temporary; seamfrom the a-lined edges of the strip pieces.- I

To-admitthe switch gfin-ger between themacam edge 521spaced tromthe: confining groove 38; on

guide deflectsv the advancing. end of the wider strip piece away from the trailing-end of thenarrow piece. The cam edge 52 isformed .on a right angleflange of: an" auxiliary section 53-; corresponding" width to} the narrow strip piece. in advance-of the switchfinger andnt the principal narrow section 30 and the -.s'pacing fromthe confining: groove fia -is'sumcient bothto clear the narrow-strip piece and to defiecttl'ie wider piece.

To accentuate the separating action of the cam edge 52 and to provide angular space for the wide strip. piece as itisdeflected by the cam i edgefi; the supporting surface of the wide section 34 ct the-guideaiswformed*with a twisted bend along the supporting surface and in, advance of the'c'am edge and switch finger, thewe'igh t' of .the wide strip piece ta assisting the deflecting action-,ot-ithe cam edge 52; As the operation rat the .shoecontinues to progress; the-"wide strip piece-isdrawn into thewide section's34- of the guide and beneath a-=yielding member in theiform of a spring wire '54 fastened by meansaoif in; set screw-5B in a-lug 58 on the outer surface of the wide guidesection-3'4; The activeend of the wire flwpasses through aslot 60 (Fig. 1*). in thcwide guide: section 34 and into engagement with the strip in the. guide. While :the -wireri54- bears: pro-.- gressively'against the narrow strip piece 311; :as well-as againstthewider strip piece 28 its par- :ticular function is primarily withthe wide-strip piece to prevent separation of the wide piece dromithesgroove 3B inthe guide. To increase the action of the qyieldingwire 54; the portion of the wire engaging-the strip is bent-into arcuate torm with its plane directed downwardly and toward therconfiningugroove'38; Thus, :as the movement :of the strip aprogresses, the'tendency .is to cr'owd the strip; into :moreintimate contact with the rgroove;

Upon introducingthe wrapper strip into the guide with its lower end inserted in: one offl'the guide sections, the upper end extending from the :g u-ideis laid over a wide tray 62,, ,moreiully de-' scribed in theprior-Clark application. Regardless :-.of which str ip piece is first introduced "to-the guide the action of the switch finger 44 is subs-tan;- itially the same. If the Wide stripqpieeedlnis first introduced tothe gu-ide, it is inserted in the wide section, 34 where it is kept inwengagement with the edge confining :groove 38--by the*wircr54. When the upper trailing/end of the wide section 28' reaches the switch rfing er th leading. end of the narrow strip piece-'30 passes to "the right :0! the-cam edge 52 intothe narrow auxiliary gui'de 53,- the curvature of the "widestrip section caus ihg the overlapping area-at the leading end o'if the narrow strip piece 30 to be raised angular'l y as it reaches the switch finger 4-2; The switch "finger '42 then shifts'thenarrow strip pieceinto the'narrow'se'ct'ion 36; as shown in Fig. 5r, which insures proper direction of the strip into the sewing point of'the-machine asl'th'e' operation progresses.

I To assist in guiding the convex curvature along the wide strip piece 28 accurately into the sewing point-of the machine, the :lower portion of the guide along. the edge-confining; groove 38 formed w-ith: a. -s1otn64= of limited length terminating jsustishort of the" extreme lower ender the guide. xAttthe-extremelower endxof thefguide there is provided a short: brace 66' comprising a continuation ot the edge confining grooved.

ns tlie wide strip piece 28 passesthroug-hthc grooves 8="'i-fisconvex edge bulges" throiigh' the slot 6 4"; as 'inFi'g: 4, insuring accurate placementa's the strip emerges from the lower end' of the 'giiide:

Thenatu-reand scope ofthe inventi'onhaving been indicated and a particular embodiment having been de'scri'bed what isclaimed'is 1 A guide rem: piaticrm wrapperstrip formed in two pieces'ofi different width; the pieces of which one lateral edg'e of each alined with some lateral edge: of the other andare fastened together: in overlapping relationship along their aiiiied edgesswith freedom for flexureangularly toward and imm eachaotherzaiongatheiriremaim ing overlapping areas, said guide having-:wideiand narrow anguiarly disposed sectionsin combination withmeans for deflectingmne, piece-ofthe strip from the. other and for directing, the strip 7 from one section of the guide to the other as it passes through the respective guide sections.

2. A guide for a platform wrapper strip formed in two pieces of different width, the pieces of which have one lateral edge of each alined with one lateral edge of the other and are fastened together in overlapping relationship along their alined edges with freedom for fiexure angularly toward and from each other along their remaining overlapping areas, said guide having wide and narrow angularly disposed sections, in combination with means for deflecting one piece of the strip from the other and for directing the strip from one section of the guide to the other as it passes through the respective guide sections comprising a cam edge on the guide and an edge confining groove along which the alined edges of the strip pieces pass.

3. A guide for a platform wrapper strip formed in two pieces of different width, the pieces of which have one lateral edge of each alined with one lateral edge of the other and are fastened together in overlapping relationship along their alined edges with freedom for fiexure angularly toward and from each other along their remaining overlapping areas, said guide having wide and narrow sections, in combination with common means for directing the strip as it passes through the respective guide sections comprising an edge confining groove along which the alined edges of the strip pieces pass, and a switch finger having a tip entering into the edge confining groove to separate the overlapping areas of the strip pieces while passing through the guide.

4. A guide for a platform wrapper strip formed in two pieces of different width, the pieces of which have one lateral edge of each alined with one lateral edge of the other and are fastened together in overlapping relationship along their alined edges with freedom for flexure angularly toward and from each other along their remaining overlapping areas, said guide having wide and narrow angularly disposed sections, in combination with a switch finger running between the narrow and the wide sections for separating the overlapping areas of the strip pieces to cause each piece to be directed with certainty into its respective section while the strip passes through the guide.

5. A guide for a platform wrapper strip formed with two pieces of divergent width, the pieces of which have one lateral edge of each alined with one lateral edge of the other and are fastened together in overlapping relation about their alined edges with freedom for flexure angularly toward and from each other along their remaining overlapping areas, said guide having wide and narrow angularly disposed sections, in combination with a switch running between the narrow section and the wide section to separate the overlapping areas of the strip pieces while passing through the uide, and common means for retaining the alined edges of the strip pieces in predetermined alinement with the guide.

6. A guide for a platform wrapper strip formed with two pieces of different width, the pieces of which have one lateral edge of each alined with one lateral edge of the other and are fastened together in overlapping relation with freedom for fiexure angularly toward and from each other along their remaining overlapping areas, said guide having wide and narrow angularly disposed sections, in combination with a common edge confining groove and a switch finger running between the narrow section and the wide section to separate the overlapping areas of the strip pieces while passing through the guide, and individual means for retaining the alined edges of the strip pieces in predetermined alinement with the confining groove of the guide, comprising an edge confining flange on the guide for the narrower strip piece and a yielding member within the groove frictionally engaging the wider strip for preventing separation of the wide strip piece from the groove.

7. A guide for a platform wrapper strip formed in two pieces of different width, the pieces of which have one lateral edge of each alined with one lateral edge of the other and are fastened together in overlapping relationship along their alined edges with freedom for fiexure angularly toward and from each other along their remaining overlapping areas, said guide having wide and narrow angularly disposed sections, in combination with a switch finger running between the narrow and the wide sections for separating the overlapping areas of the strip pieces to cause each piece to be directed with certainty into its respective section while the strip passes through the guide, and a bend in the guide in advance of the switch for deflectin the overlapping areas of the strip pieces angularly away from each other to admit entry of the switch finger between them.

8. A guide for a platform wrapper strip formed with a convex curvature along one edge, said guide having a straight section conforming generally with the shape of the strip and an edge confining groove along one side of the guide, in combination with a slot terminating in a brace at the lower portion of the guide running across the slot, through which slot the convex edge of the strip bulges to insure contact of the strip with the brace as the strip emerges.

9. A guide for a platform wrapper strip formed in two pieces of different width, the pieces of which have one lateral edge of each alined with one lateral edge of the other and are fastened together in overlapping relationship along their alined edges with freedom for fiexure angularly toward and from each other along their remaining overlapping areas, said guide having wide and narrow sections formed with strip supporting surfaces, in combination with a switch finger having a tip extending between the wide and narrow sections closer to the supporting surface of the wider section than the double thickness overlapping areas of the strip pieces.

10. A guide for a platform wrapper strip formed in two pieces of different width, the pieces of which have one lateral edge of each alined with one lateral edge of the other and are fastened together in overlapping relationship along finger having a tip extending between the wide and narrow sections, and a cam edge on the guide to deflect the wide strip piece away from the narrow strip piece in advance of the switch finger.

RALPH E. PEARSALL.

References Cited in the file 01' this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 538,472 Wolentarsky Apr. 30, 1895 2,398,475 Stritter Apr. 16, 1946 

